TO 处处有白云 - 大家看我是否应该卖掉房子？

If there is accumulated equity of 800K in two houses and managing remote property is a headache, you can sell both houses and with 800K as downpayment, buy a fourplex in bay area. You with your kids/mom live in one unit and rent out the rest. On MLSLISTINGS.COM, 4-plex's in cupertino are selling for 1.15M. With 800K downpayment, your mortgage is only 350K that should be well covered by rental income:

Rental income estimate: 1500 * 3 = 4500
350K loan at 6.25% rate = $2,155.01 a Month
Property Tax + Insurance = $1700

4500 - 2155 - 1700 = $645 income/month, enough to cover garbage/phone/utility etc.

Don't forget that your housing expense is covered in this scenario, and your kids can go to the best school. After depreciation, you may post a loss that can be deducted from your 28000 annual income. So you might end up paying no tax at all. In bay area, rent has bottomed for years but it started to take off since early this year. You have good chance of collecting rent at 5 - 10% increasing rate every year.

If you are not sure what's the best solution, consult a tax expert.

Life can be worse. Be strong! Wish you and your kids/mom the best!